Life-affirming message belongs on air

It is not surprising to watch the furor and irrational hatred demonstrated by radical feminist groups being directed at college football star and 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam.

CBS has decided to run a 30-second ad celebrating the gift of life and families during today's Super Bowl game. The ad, which is sponsored by Focus on the Family, tells the story Pam Tebow's courageous decision about her high-risk pregnancy while she and her husband were missionaries in the Philippines. Pam went into a coma when she contracted amebic dysentery, and the treatment required strong medications. Although advised by her doctors to have an abortion, she chose to risk her own life, and Tim Tebow was born.

Erin Matson of the National Organization for Women, which is among several groups demanding that CBS scrap the ad, said, "This ad is frankly offensive. It is hate masquerading as love. It sends a message that abortion is always a mistake."

These would-be censors are on the wrong track and seriously damaging their own public image and concept of "women's choice" when they attempt to silence their opponents, especially a woman whose choice was to give her baby a birthday. Their furor exposes their irrational anti-Christian bigotry and is more "pro-abortion" than "pro-choice."

Judy Brown, President of American Life League, (all.org) congratulated CBS and Focus on the Family for "giving millions of Super Bowl fans a chance to hear the inspiring and beautiful story of the Tebow family. Between meaningless and often crude ads for cars, beer and cell phones, football fans this year will see and hear an example of true courage, love and human dignity. . . . Tim's story, however, is not unique. Every day mothers, fathers and families are making heroic decisions to love and welcome their preborn children - no matter what."

The pro-life groups Christian Defense Coalition, Expectant Mother Care and Generation Life sponsored a rally recently in New York, stating, "We join with hundreds of thousands of Americans who have signed petitions and joined online groups applauding the decision of CBS to air a pro-life ad featuring the Tebows."

This favorable reaction to a life-affirming message follows years of bias and censorship toward the pro-life movement, whose adherents often are deemed lesser-valued members of our political and social culture. All national networks, including CBS, have policies that rule out the broadcast of certain types of advocacy ads. CBS notes that it had run some advocacy ads in recent months concerning both sides of the health care debate and decided that the Tebow ad was "appropriate for air."

Super Bowl ads can run as high as $3 million for 30-second spots. A Jan. 31 editorial in The New York Times, which is no bastion of pro-life thought, was titled "Super Bowl Censorship" and took abortion advocates to task for blasting the ad, calling it a "lame attempt to portray the ad as life threatening."

"After the network screens ads for accuracy and taste, viewers can watch and judge for themselves. Or they can get up from the couch and get a sandwich," the newspaper concluded.

• Arlene Sawicki is a veteran pro-life/pro-family activist living in South Barrington.